Key container



`July 5, 1938.` G. P. EcoNoMAKls 2,122,934

KEY CONTAINER Filed Sept. 25, 1937 Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEY CONTAINER George P. Economaks, Asbury Park, N. J. Application September 25, 1937, Serial No. 165,744 1 claim. (ci. 15o- 40) This invention is directed to an improvement in key containers and carriers, designed with a View to providing a simple, compact article which may be readily carried in the pocket and in which the keys are separately housed and protected, and in which any selected key may be moved out of the container for use without disturbing or in any way affecting any other key.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a key container or holder made up of a series of relatively flat sections of appropriate material secured along one longitudinal edge to provide a series of flaps, the opposite otherwise free edges of the aps being designed to be secured by temporary` readily openable fastenings, with appropriate means at one end for supporting the keys in a removable manner between two adjacent flaps.

A further object of the present invention is to 0 arrange the securing means at the otherwise free edges of the flaps out of line with each other in order to avoid unnecessary bulk or thickness of the container.

A further object of the invention is the pro- 5 vision of flaps making up the type of container or holder described, with such flaps of different lengths or in part with relatively offset side edge projections, whereby in either case a wholly independent and completely uncovered vportion of each flap is exposed to permit the user to mark such exposed portion with an identification of the particular key overlying the flap so marked in order that the desired key may be selected by its identification mark, and the appropriate flap K opened to permit access to that key without interfering with or exposing any of the other keys in the holder.

A further object of the present invention is the utilization of the exposed portion of each 4,0, flap as an identifying means for the respective keys, wholly regardless of and without regard to any identifying mark on such exposed portion, whereby the user, particularly in the dark where the identification mark would be useless,

45..may, by passing a finger over the exposed portions, readily identify the particular flap which he knows covers the key desired, thus permitting the user to select and expose that desired key without exposing or interfering with any of the 50 other keys even under the adverse condition of darkness.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a container or holder of this type of an additional flap on the face of the container se- 55 cured along its side edges and bottom edge to the immediately adjacent flap but disconnected from such adjacent flap at the top. This additional flap serves as a pocket to receive and more or less securely house a particular key which is in frequent use, so that the user may have ready access to this particular key without the necessity of opening any of the flaps.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the lmproved key container.

Fig. 2 is a face view of the same with the outer section open.

Fig. 3 is a view of a modification.

Fig. 4 is a plan view partially in section of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a conventional means for supporting a key.

In the form illustrated more particularly in Figures l and 2, the improved key container and holder comprises a series of elongated preferably but not necessarily rectangular sections I, with the edges at one side and one end aligned. The sections are secured together immediately adjacent the aligned side edges by stitching 2, or other appropriate fastening, so that the sections or flaps are secured together along one edge in superimposed relation, the opposite side edges, except as hereinafter described, being free so that any one or more aps may be opened and turned back relative to the other flaps.

The respective flaps, other than the top flap, are marked with identification tabs 3, preferably formed by cutting away the material of the original ap on lines 4 of less lengths for each underlying flap, to thereby provide in each flap a projection which underlies and extends below the similar projection of the overlying ap. The nal flap 5 of the container is of a width corresponding to the width of the other flaps including the projection. As thus provided, each iiap has a portion projecting beyond the open edge of the container, which portion, at least in part, is completely exposed at all times to provide an identifying function, as will later appear.

The free edges of the flaps are designed to be interlocked or temporarily fastened one with the other through the use of snap fasteners G, the cooperating elements of which are secured respectively to the contacting faces of adjacent flaps, so that by simple pressure or pull, the adjacent flaps may be fastened together along their otherwise free edges or conveniently separated to expose the desired key. In this connection it is to be particularly noted that the snap vided, as indicated at II,

fastening elements, which of course are designed to show conventionally any appropriate fastening means, are arranged out of line one with the other in order to avoid the otherwise thickening or increased bulk of the container. With the use of snap fasteners, it is obvious that all of the fasteners may be moved into connecting or securing relation by pressure on the top and bottom aps.

All iiaps are formed near their upper aligned edges with an opening'l to receive means by which the key is held in place. While any appropriate means may be provided for this purpose, it is preferred that fastenings of the type shown in Figure 5 be used. These fasteners include a bar 8 having a terminal 9 at right angles to one end and a second terminal I 0 movably connected to the opposite end, 'so that it can be turned in alignment with the bar or at right angles thereto. The fastener with the movable terminal turned down in alignment with the bar" is passed through the opening 'I in each flap, the key threaded thereon and the movable terminal I0 turned back at right angles to the bar. The key is thus secured to the particular flap so that it may be turned freely out ofthe container when desired for use or conveniently removed entirely from the container when desired.

In Figure 3 the construction previously described is duplicated except in connection with the identification tabs 3 and the reference numerals applied to the corresponding parts of Figure 1 are duplicated in Figure 3. In this modified form, the identication tabs are proby successively increasing the length of the respective i'laps to cause each underlying flap to project below the over-` lying ap, the identication tabspeculiar to each nap are provided, all of which are completely and entirely visible when the holder is closed.

On the front apor section making up the holder there is provided an additional section I2 secured on its side edges and bottom edge to the iirst flap. The bottom edge of the section I2 is aligned with the bottom edge of the first flap and the upper edge of the section I 2 is preferably cut at an angle, as indicated at I3, which upper edge of the section I2 is materially below the upper edge of the rst ap. The section I2 is thus secured vto the holder on all edges except the upper edge to thus provide a pocket to loosely receive a key which is more or less in constant use or at least more constantly used than the other keys of the holder. The pocket may be applied to any form or omitted therefrom at will and the key is frictionally held within the pocket without other securing means. The opening 'I may, if desired, be protected by conventional eyelets I4 to prevent wear, and if desired the container may be provided with an additional opening I5 near the upper end of the secured side edges to receive any connector by which the holder may be attached to the belt or other part of the apparel to prevent loss. This, of course, is optional as it is contemplated that the key container is complete in itself and may and preferably is loosely carried in the pocket as are similar types of containers.

When the user desires to select a key, he may readily find between which iiaps that particular key is contained by reference to the identification tabs. In the event the key is desired under conditions where it is impossible to read the identiiication tabs, the user, with a knowledge of the particular flap underlying the Idesired. key, may simply pass his finger or thumb in succession over the identification tabs of either type, identiiying by touch the particular iiap over which the desired key is placed and then open the holder at this point and swing the key out for use.

The material of which the holder as an entirety is constructed presents a great variety of options. The flaps may be made of natural or articial leather, appropriately fabricated textiles or any other desired material, so long as it presents a sufficient degree of rigidity to maintain the container in form and yet be sufliciently iiexible to accommodate itself to the pocket. The container as a whole is preferably of elongated form and relatively narrow in width, thus facilitating not only handling but reducing the space which it occupies in the pocket.

A particularly important feature of the improved container is that it holds the keys completely and individually segregated, and permits the selection and use of any one key without disturbing or interfering with any other key. In this respect the improved container presents very material advantages over prior forms of key containers, wherein the keys are supported from hooks or the like in a wrapper type of cover, and wherein the keys are always in a confused jumble, difiicult to separate when wanted, and generally extended in all directions to present uncomfortable projections when in the pocket.

What is claimed to be new is:

A key container made up of a series of sections of appropriate more or less exible material, the base or bottom section of which is of the full length and width of the desired container, a series of superimposed flaps arranged on and aligned with the bottom ilap, means for securing all ilaps along one edge, each of the ilaps other than the bottom ilap being cut away on the edge remote from the secured edge, the cut-away portion of each flap being oi' less length than that of the flap and of increasing length in the respective flaps from the flap next the bottom nap, whereby all aps including the bottom ap present outstanding margins, the upper surface of which is visible when the flaps are in closed relation, said outstanding margins presenting identication tabs for use in selecting a particular key, a key-carrying element on each flap, and cooperating securing elements whereby each nap is removably fastened to the immediately adjacent lower fiap, the cooperating securing elements of the respective aps being in spaced relation vertically of the container to avoid undue bulk, the securing of each iiap only to its adjacent flap serving to open the container at the flap carrying the desired key without permitting any of the other keys of the container being exposed to thereby avoid the confusion of the presence of a number of keys during the use of a selected key.

, GEORGE P. ECONOMAKIS.

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